Chapter 18

As the story continued to unfold, Naruto stood at the top of the Hokage Mountain, his mind processing the revelations like a puzzle with pieces that didn't quite fit together. The history of the Otsutsuki was much more complex and dark than he could have ever imagined. The tale that Hagoromo now told him was not just one of cosmic power but of love, betrayal, and the consequences of actions taken centuries ago.

"Two millennia ago," Hagoromo began, his voice filled with both sorrow and a hint of regret, "my mother, Kaguya, and her partner, Ishiki, arrived on Earth with the purpose of planting the Divine Tree, the Shinju, and devouring all life to gain the power they sought. But things took an unexpected turn when she met my father. He was different. She fell in love with him, and for the first time, she began to question everything she had been taught, everything she had believed in."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, trying to picture the events as they were being revealed. He had heard of Kaguya and Ishiki, but never in such detail. The fact that she had once been an enemy and later turned protector of the world he now called home was both mind-boggling and deeply moving.

"Kaguya, having fallen for my father, discarded her former beliefs. She changed, becoming the guardian of the planet instead of its destroyer. But Ishiki, the true leader, could not and would not accept such a change," Hagoromo continued, his tone heavy with the weight of history. "Ishiki was older, more powerful, and more resolute in his mission. He would never allow Kaguya to go against the Otsutsuki's will. But... betrayal was an idea foreign to our kind. It simply wasn't done."

Naruto's mind raced. The notion of betrayal among such powerful beings was unfathomable. Yet, Kaguya, driven by her love and a newfound sense of justice, had made the unthinkable decision. "So… what happened?"

Hagoromo's gaze darkened. "Kaguya backstabbed Ishiki, using the full extent of her power and the ash bones to surprise him. The attack should have turned him to dust, but Ishiki was quick—too quick. He managed to escape, though only half of his body survived the assault. That fragment of him... Kaguya kept it. She used it to feed the Shinju and create the first chakra fruit."

Naruto blinked, the concept of the chakra fruit, the Shinju, and the Otsutsuki's strange ways all slowly coming together. "But… isn't the fruit supposed to take everything from a planet? All its life force?"

"Yes," Hagoromo replied, his voice growing more somber. "Normally, the Shinju feeds on the life force of a whole planet, draining it dry and killing all life in the process. But Kaguya, in her desperation and her desire to protect the planet, found a way to create a fruit without destroying it entirely. She used only half of the planet's life force, and though the fruit was incomplete, it still bore incredible power—power enhanced by Ishiki's essence, a being who had consumed the energy of six planets over thousands of years."

Naruto absorbed this information, his thoughts struggling to keep up. The idea of a fruit that could harness the power of an entire planet's life force and grant unimaginable power to its eater was overwhelming. But the complexity of it all continued to unfold.

"Kaguya could have harvested the fruit quickly, but the process typically takes a thousand years for the best results. If done too hastily, the fruit would be flawed. She waited, allowing the fruit to reach its full potential, and in the meantime, she grew in power. She helped shape the world, creating the moon and even multiple dimensions to protect the people of the Earth."

Naruto's breath caught at the mention of the moon. "Wait, so... Kaguya made the moon?"

"Yes," Hagoromo confirmed, his expression grave. "She used her newfound power to protect the world she had come to love. But tragedy struck when Ishiki returned. He had survived, and his return meant the end for my father, Kaguya's partner. Ishiki killed him, and from that moment, Kaguya became paranoid, distrusting everything and everyone."

The scene before Naruto shifted, showing Kaguya's descent into madness, her mind fracturing under the weight of her fears. "She put the world under a genjutsu, not only to keep herself hidden from Ishiki but also to ensure that no one learned of her betrayal. She feared what would happen if the rest of the Otsutsuki learned the truth—what they might do to her."

Naruto's heart clenched as he took in the gravity of Kaguya's actions. Her love for her husband had driven her to fight for the planet, but it had also set off a chain of events that led to violence and mistrust. She had sacrificed everything, even her own sanity, to protect the world she had once sought to destroy.

"But there's more," Hagoromo said, his voice dropping lower, as if sharing a secret that had been buried for centuries. "The Otsutsuki are still out there. Others from the clan, more powerful and even more dangerous than Kaguya, could arrive at any time. If they discover her betrayal, if they learn what she did, they could make Kaguya's actions look like child's play."

Naruto's mind reeled. He had heard of the Otsutsuki, of their strength and their power, but this new information made everything seem far more dangerous than he had ever realized. Planet-destroyers, the fifth dimension, betrayal—these were forces far beyond anything he had encountered.

The scene around him shifted, fading into a haunting stillness. Yet Naruto could not shake the feeling that something far darker and more dangerous was looming on the horizon. The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear: the fight for the planet was far from over.

Naruto's heart pounded in his chest as he took in the enormity of what Hagoromo had revealed. The Otsutsuki clan, beings capable of destroying entire worlds, were a threat far greater than anything Naruto had ever faced. And yet, here he was, being asked to shoulder the burden of not only protecting his world but ensuring humanity's survival in the face of such overwhelming odds.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts. "What do you want me to do? Can I even handle this? If there are even a hundred of them, how can we survive? Tell me, do you have a solution? Because I don't think we can handle this if these beings come into play soon." His words were heavy, his optimism faltering for the first time in a long while. It felt like the weight of the entire world was pressing down on him.

Hagoromo regarded him with a mixture of understanding and sadness. He knew that the task before Naruto seemed impossible. The Otsutsuki were not mere conquerors; they were destroyers of worlds, ancient beings whose strength transcended what any individual could comprehend. It wasn't just a matter of fighting back; it was about survival, evolution, and transformation.

"You will have to help humanity evolve to your level, at the very least," Hagoromo began, his voice steady despite the grimness of the situation. "You need to evolve to a level that is a thousand times greater than your current stage. It may seem impossible, but once you learn to harness what you possess, your power should reach that of a normal Otsutsuki, capable of protecting a planet—or destroying one."

Naruto's eyes widened. The thought of achieving power so vast was both terrifying and thrilling. But even with that power, Hagoromo was quick to temper his hope. "That level of power would be enough to fight a normal Otsutsuki, but not enough to defeat my mother or Ishiki. They're beyond anything you could currently imagine."

Naruto clenched his fists, feeling the weight of those words. He had always strived to become stronger, to protect the ones he loved, but now he was faced with an entirely new level of strength—a level that would require not only immense power but also an unshakable will.

Hagoromo continued, speaking with a resolve that Naruto admired. "I spent my life searching for the answer, the way to reach my peak. I left those solutions in a sanctuary, a place where you can train and grow stronger. It's a path I've set for you, a fragmented one, because I didn't have the guidance I needed in my time. You'll have to forge your own way, but the opportunity is there for you."

The Sage placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder, a gesture that conveyed both encouragement and trust. "You must act quickly. While there's no immediate sign of the Otsutsuki coming in full force, you must use this time to strengthen yourself. Don't let despair take root. If the time comes when you cannot handle it, you must leave the rest to future generations. But for now, you have the chance to prepare."

Naruto's mind was spinning, but there was one thing that kept him grounded—his resolve. He couldn't let this burden fall to others. He couldn't let the world he loved suffer because he was too weak or too hesitant. "I will not leave it to others," he said firmly, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions within him. "I will find a solution in this lifetime. This burden is too much to pass on to the future. I want my world to live in harmony and happiness, and the existence of such a threat is detrimental to that. You can leave it to me, Sage. I will keep this world safe, and I will help humanity become stronger."

The sadness and doubt that had clouded Naruto's heart lifted slightly, replaced by a renewed sense of purpose. This was his fight now, his responsibility. He couldn't falter, not when the future of humanity—and the world—was at stake.

Hagoromo smiled at him, a look of deep pride in his eyes. "I believe in you, Naruto. You are the shining sun of hope that will never lose its light. I only wish I had a son like you. Maybe things would have been different with you around."

Naruto's face softened, a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. "I can't call you father, but you can be my grandpa."

Hagoromo chuckled softly, his expression warm with affection. "Grandpa, I like it. Take care, my grandson."

With those words, Hagoromo embraced Naruto, transferring the remnants of his power into him. The transfer wasn't much, but it was enough to stimulate the Otsutsuki genetics that lay dormant within Naruto's body. The surge of energy flowed through him, awakening something ancient and powerful. It wasn't a dramatic transformation, but it was the beginning of a long journey—one that Naruto was now ready to undertake.

As the embrace ended, Naruto felt a new sense of determination settle in his chest. He wasn't just fighting for the present. He was fighting for the future—his future, the future of humanity, and the future of the world he had sworn to protect. No matter how insurmountable the task seemed, he would face it head-on. And with the teachings of the Sage of Six Paths in his heart, he knew he had the power to overcome it. The road ahead would be long, but Naruto was no stranger to struggle.

The world would be his to protect, and he would rise to meet the challenges ahead.